A vape retailer in Inverness city centre has been fined £900 after repeatedly breaching a court order banning him from selling vapes to the public, including illegal sales to children.
Adnan Abbas, who operated Wow Mobile on Lombard Street, appeared at Inverness Sheriff Court where he was convicted following an investigation by Highland Council Trading Standards.
Despite being prohibited from selling vapes due to previous incidents involving underage customers, Abbas was found to be continuing the practice.
Officers seized a large quantity of vapes from the premises and referred the case to the Procurator Fiscal.
David MacKenzie, Trading Standards Manager at Highland Council, said the decision to prosecute was not taken lightly.
“Our aim is not to prosecute businesses but to help them comply with the law and treat their customers well,” he said.
“But we will not hesitate to use the full force of the law on individuals who deliberately flout it.
“Abbas’s repeated offending and disregard for public safety gave us no choice.”
The sale of vapes remains a key issue for Trading Standards across the region, both in advising responsible retailers and tackling those who sell to children or deal in illegal products.
MacKenzie added:
“Most retailers in Highland want to do the right thing and we are here to help them do that and provide local consumers with the goods and services they need in a fair and safe way.
“At the same time, we won’t take any nonsense from the small minority who continue to break the law.
“Their actions are detrimental to society and unfair to their reputable competitors.”
Highland Council is continuing to monitor the sale of nicotine products and encourages the public to report any concerns through the Trading Standards helpline.
